It seems that Jos or indeed Plateau State is, once again, up for grabs, this time, officially and openly, along religious lines. The difference in these latest intermittent showdowns in that the law court and counter administrative probes is the major weapons.
In the past, especially last month, not only was the showdown along religious lines, but the two most dangerous political parties in Nigeria, the PDP and the ANPP suddenly came out as champions of Christians and Moslems respectively. Accordingly, supporters of these two parties, obviously instigated by their various respective leaders murdered themselves while the PDP and ANPP hierarchies emerged unhurt.

This time, the struggle is for the supremacy of which side has the authority to find out what happened, who were involved or indeed, responsible for the murderous showdown. The Federal Government instituted a panel headed by retired Major-General Emmanuel Abisoye, who, by the way, is gradually becoming a generalissimo of public and private enquiries in Nigeria.

In 1976, General Abisoye headed one of the panels to deal with the aftermath of the disrobing abortive Dimka uprising in which the then Head of State, Murtala Mohammed was killed. In1986, General Ibrahim Babangida regime brought out General Abisoye from retirement to head the enquiry into the violent riots of Ahmadu Bello University students. In 1995, (or thereabout) General Sani Abacha also appointed General Abisoye to head the inquiry into the NNPC, (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.)

That President Umar Yar’Adua has also appointed the same General Abisoye to head the enquiry into the Jos riots attests his (Abisoye’s) integrity.
In a counter move, Governor Jang of Plateau State challenged the authority of Aso Rock to set up such a panel and claimed that under the constitution, only state governments are empowered to do so.
For those who might be raising eyebrows, there is, in an ideal federation, no big deal in Governor Jang’s move. After almost three hundred years of life, provisions of American Constitution are regular issues for correct interpretation, especially at the Federal Supreme Court in Washington. The noticeable difference is that despite the fact that they are virtually political appointees, American justices of the Supreme Court not only display but also guard their independence and respectability very jealously.

In the case of Governor Jang (or any PDP governor for that matter), taking President Umar Yar’Adua to court to challenge the authority of a PDP Federal regime in dabbling into matters within the competence of state governments, it should be seen as a positive development of constitutionalism in Nigeria. It is necessary to highlight this fact, less desperate fellows in the PDP fault Governor Jang for alleged disloyalty.
Such mischievous elements in the party will be missing the point. At stake is the need to interprete a vital section of the Constitution once and for all for the benefit of not only the state government but also the remaining 35 states in terms of limits of the powers of the states against the Federal Government or the other way round.
In short, we are witnessing federalism in practice Somehow, we should enjoy the show. Musicians especially in Nigeria are always looked down upon as dumb fellows. Yet, a careful study of the lyrics of musicians gives them out as more of philosophers and very farsighted than our arrogant elite of the presumed intellectual mould.

There is this long-standing composition by juju maestro, King Sunny Ade, admonishing against any worry on the antics of conspirators. According to Sunny Ade, in a matter of time, co-conspirators will poison themselves.
That exactly is the situation in Jos, Plateau state. In 2007, their PDP rigged elections all over Nigeria as certified not only by Nigerians but also the entire world. Law-abiding Nigerians protested in a civilized manner but their PDP saw that response as a sign of weakness and dragged very arrogantly and defiantly to rule Nigeria for the next 60 yeas.

They had not ruled for a year after making the boast when they started killing themselves and have now dragged themselves to the Federal Supreme Court. After rigging the Jos North Local Government election, as part of their determination to rule Nigeria for the next 60 years, their PDP, at least in Plateau State has split into two factions; each as advocate of Muslims and Christians interest.
That is what the suit in court, the silent war of supremacy on which is the authority – federal or state – to probe the Jos riots is about, but they have not been bold to say so publicly.
Both President Yar’Adua and Plateu State Governor Jang know within themselves that this row is all about protecting ethnic/religious interests. Otherwise, as the poor Nigeria would demand, "Is it anything more than the recent riots?"

Yet, if we must be blunt with ourselves, there are much more. First, there is this stupid categorization of fellow Nigerians in Plateau State as indigenes and settlers, (that is non-indigenes, who migrated from outside Plateau State and largely Fulanis and Hausas.)
From their tone and body language, Governor Jang is pursuing Christian/indigene interests while president Umar Yar’Adua is pursuing Muslim/Settlers’ interests. Today, as mutual antagonists, in the Jos riots probe row, it serves both of them right.
Somehow and rather unfortunately, we have allowed their PDP to befog the real issue which triggered the Jos riots –PDP’s rigging of the Jos North Local Government elections. The pattern of rigging was a spread of the political plague lately unleashed on Africa by Kenya’s President Kibeki and Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe. Both men, overnight reversed their emerging defeat in the Presidential elections and claimed victory the following morning. Till today, both men stay put in office without a word from Nigeria.

It therefore occurred to their PDP that if it worked in Kenya and Zimbabwe, what was wrong in catching the plague in Nigeria, starting in Plateau? Significantly, neither Yar’Adua nor Jang has said anything on the Jos North Local Government elections clearly because the rigged result was in favour of PDP.
Put in another way, Governor Jang is no longer justifying the purported PDP victory in Jos with Local Government elections. Rather, the Plateau State Governor sees the Abisoye panel appointed by President Yar’Adua as a cloak aimed at faulting Christians and the so-called indigenes in the Jos conflict, and also to cover up the role of Muslims and so-called settlers, mainly Hausas and Fulanis. Ironically, would General Abisoye, a devout Christian ever be expected to do that?
On the other hand, the counter panel set up by the Plateau State government for the same purpose of finding out facts of the Jos riots is headed by a devout Moslem, Bola Ajibola, ex-federal Attorney-General. Surely, Plateau State government cannot use Prince Bola Ajibola to fan its Muslim setters and cover up the Christians.

Whatever feelings against either side in this crisis, it is Nigeria’s national interest for the PDP created by Obasanjo to split into pieces to stop its political menace. As the party tears into pieces, ordinary Muslims and Christians not just in Plateau state, but also throughout Nigeria, must never again kill themselves especially in the North–Bauchi, Plateau, Taraba, Adamawa, Borno and Kaduna States.

To probe or not to probe Jos riots? Both Plateau State and federal governments have given strong reasons under the Constitution to assert each other’s authority to probe the riots. The Federal Government, through Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa has conceded residual power of Plateau State Government under the Constitution to probe the Jos riots. So, what is the argument about? Why not disband the Abisoye panel?
Furthermore, Attorney-General Aondoakaa advised Governor Jang to engage in dialogue instead of legal suit. Pointedly asked by journalist if Governor Jang was consulted or informed before the Abisoye Panel was announced, attorney-General Aondoaka dodged that specific and vital question and instead, reminded rather irrelevantly that Governor Jang himself requested for federal troops. Requesting for federal troops would not justify usurping the Constitutional authority of a state governor, especially if the governor was not informed.

However, the Federal G overnment, through the same Attorney-General Aondoakaa established facts or at least made submissions outside the jurisdiction of states, the alleged involvement of foreign mercenaries in the Jos riots, specifically, mercenaries who fought on the side of the Muslims. That charge was made by Christians, impliedly by the Plateau State. That being so, as an interested party in such an allegation, will it be proper or fair for the same Plateau state government to make and probe such a serious allegation.

What is more, importation of foreign mercenaries, if true, is clearly a breach of Nigeria’s immigration and therefore a security matter, which Attorney-General Aondoakaa rightly pointed out, is the constitutional responsibility of the Federal Government.
In addition, as the federal government pointed out, (some might say, to frustrate Plateau State, government suit in the court) the source of the large quantity of arms and ammunition used by both sides in the Jos riots, is again, a security problem to be tackled by the Federal authorities as provided under the Constitution.

A very correct but convenient argument is why is Aso Rock concerned with quantity or source of arms only and suddenly in Plateau State? For almost seven years or even more, arms and ammunition have not just been in free use but on the increase in Niger Delta, especially Rivers and Bayelsa States. Why did the Federal Government fail so far to send an Abisoye panel to that area for the source of such quantity of arms?
To qualify the magnitude of the arms problem in Niger Delta, this is the picture known to all of us unless we pretend not to know. There are 37 governments in Nigeria – federal government and 36 state governments. But there are two governments of Nigeria – Federal Government and Niger Delta militants, the later operating freely but only short of declaring itself a sovereign state.

Niger Delta militants are well, if not better, armed than entire Federal security personnel, hence, the kidnappings and oil bunkering almost on daily basis involving foreign and locals as victims (latest is Elechi Amadi) or economic saboteurs, like the Phillipinos, Russians or Chinese occasionally arrested.
There are worse securities problems to merit Federal Government probe like the panel on Jos riots. Why is the Jos riot probe more of life or death affair while Niger Delta militants are celebrating their invincibility?

However disturbing, we should hope for the PDP civil war to escalate to stop the party from its promised stranglehold of 60.